14 January 2015: African youth leaders are taking action to ensure their communities are better informed and prepared to reduce disaster risks. Seven youth leaders participated in a disaster risk reduction (DRR) educational voyage and training programme aboard the passenger ship of the Japan-based NGO Peace Boat, which sailed from the port of Maputo, Mozambique, to Cape Town, South Africa.

The journey took place from 18-23 December 2014, in cooperation with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). Youth leaders from Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa explored key issues related to disasters and related costs in terms of lives lost, injuries and damage to infrastructure.

UNISDR made presentations to the youth leaders and approximately 800 passengers from, inter alia, Japan, Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Colombia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and the US. Topics discussed included risk-sensitive tourism, given that the sector drives the economies of many developing countries, which should plan to reduce the effects of natural disasters and avoid new risks. The industry is particularly vulnerable to epidemics, wildfires, cyclones, floods, earthquake and tsunamis.

At the conclusion of the training programme, the youth leaders formed the Africa Resilient Youth group and signed a declaration to highlight their commitment to raising awareness and reducing risks at all levels through: social media campaigns encouraging their local governments to sign up and participate in the UNISDR-led Making Cities Resilient Campaign; and collaboration to strengthen the Africa DRR Youth Champions Network.

Another Peace Boat voyage will take place from 22-27 January 2015 between the Chilean port of Valparaiso and Callao in Peru. The voyages are taking place in advance of and to build momentum for the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), to be held in Sendai, Japan, from 14-18 March 2015.

Peace Boat is a partner in the Making Cities Resilient campaign, which raises awareness in the ports it visits, and provides a venue for delivering education and training programmes. [UNISDR Press Release] [Africa Resilient Youth Declaration] [Peace Boat Website]